Combination storage packaging for concentrated/powdered material and container for product prepared therefrom and method of using packaging/container

Abstract

A container for a dehydrated or otherwise concentrated product and for the hydrated/reconstituted product made therefrom has a first sheet section that forms the body of the container, a second sheet section that forms bottom of the container. The sheet is made from material containing at least 30% by weight a mineral based material.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A container for containing dehydrated concentrate liquid or solid and storing the hydrated product made therefrom, comprising: 
 a sheet folded over on itself to define at least two panels disposed in substantially face-to-face relationship to each other, the corresponding margins of the two panels sealed together to form the container; and    wherein the sheet comprising a plastic composition material comprising at least about thirty percent by weight a mineral based material.    
     
     
         2 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the mineral based material is calcium carbonate, magnesium silicate or mica.  
     
     
         3 . A container as in  claim 2 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising less than 70 percent a mineral based material by weight.  
     
     
         4 . A container as in  claim 3 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising 50-60 percent a mineral based material by weight.  
     
     
         5 . A container as in  claim 3 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising about 55 percent a mineral based material by weight.  
     
     
         6 . A container as in  claim 2 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising less than 90 percent calcium carbonate by weight.  
     
     
         7 . A container as in  claim 6 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising about 50-70 percent calcium carbonate by weight.  
     
     
         8 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet further comprising at least one layer selected from a group consisting of a heat-seal layer, a UV barrier layer, and an oxygen barrier layer.  
     
     
         9 . A container as in  claim 9 , wherein the selected layer has a thickness ranging from about 40 to 80 microns.  
     
     
         10 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein portions of the sheet define a closable spout.  
     
     
         11 . A container as in  claim 10 , further comprising a closure to close the spout.  
     
     
         12 . A container as in  claim 11 , wherein the closure is a cap.  
     
     
         13 . A container as in  claim 11 , wherein the closure is a clip.  
     
     
         14 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet further comprising a first side panel, a second side panel and a third bottom panel; 
 wherein the first and second side panels are joined along a boundary, and one of the first and second side panels is joined to the bottom panel along a second boundary;    wherein the first side panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the first panel;    wherein the second side panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the second panel;    wherein the bottom panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the bottom panel and a fold line extending through an intermediate location of the bottom panel;    wherein the bottom panel is folded along the fold line at the bottom panel and the margins of the bottom panel are in registry with, and sealed to, corresponding marginal portions of the first and second side panels; and    wherein the first side panel is disposed in face-to-face relationship with the second side panel and the corresponding marginal portions of the first and second side panels, that are not sealed to the marginal portions of the bottom panel, are sealed together in a liquid-impervious manner.    
     
     
         15 . A container as in  claim 14 , wherein the margins of the bottom panel comprising two substantially straight segments substantially parallel to the line of the bottom panel.  
     
     
         16 . A container as in  claim 15 , wherein the bottom panel having first end margins comprising a first pair of segments forming a substantially right angle bisected by the bottom folding line at one end of the bottom folding line, and second end margins comprising a pair of margin segments forming a right angle bisected by the bottom folding line, at the opposite end of the bottom folding line from the first end margins.  
     
     
         17 . A container as in  claim 16 , wherein a margin of the first panel further comprising a first hole and a margin of the second panel comprising a second hole, the first and second holes located such that when the second panel is folded towards the first panel, the first hole and second hole are in registry to form a finger receiving hole and the adjacent sealed margins of the first and second panel forming a handle.  
     
     
         18 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet further comprising a first side panel, a second side panel and a third bottom panel; 
 wherein the first side panel and the third bottom panel are joined along a first boundary, and the second side panel and the third bottom side panel are joined along a second boundary;    wherein the first side panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the first panel;    wherein the second side panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the second panel;    wherein the bottom panel has a margin extending along the perimeter of the bottom panel and a fold line extending through an intermediate location of the bottom panel;    wherein the first boundary and the second boundary are on opposite sides of the fold line on the bottom panel;    wherein the bottom panel is folded along the fold line of the bottom panel and the margins of the bottom panel are in registry with, and sealed to, corresponding marginal portions of the first and second side panels; and    wherein the first side panel is disposed in face-to-face relationship with the second side panel and the corresponding marginal portions of the first and second side panels, that are not sealed to the marginal portions of the bottom panel, are sealed together in a liquid-impervious manner.    
     
     
         19 . A container as in  claim 18 , 
 wherein the first and second side panels and the third bottom panel are formed from a W-shaped sheet having two outer panels and two inner panels;    the outer panels form the first and second panels;    the inner panels form the third bottom panel;    the fold line between the inner panels is the folding line of the bottom panel;    the boundaries between outer panels and inner panels are the boundaries between the side panels and the bottom panel.    
     
     
         20 . A container as in  claim 19 , wherein the two outer panels comprising two holes, one on each panel, wherein the holes are in registry to form a finger receiving hole and the adjacent sealed margins of the first and second panel forming a handle.  
     
     
         21 . A container as in  claim 20 , wherein portions of the outer panels define a closable opening.  
     
     
         22 . A container as in  claim 19 , wherein the W-shaped sheet is a roll of an endless sheet where the folding lines of inner and outer panels are along the longitudinal direction of the roll.  
     
     
         23 . A container as in  claim 22 , wherein the mineral based material is calcium carbonate.  
     
     
         24 . A container as in  claim 23 , wherein the calcium carbonate content in the plastic composition material is about 50 to 70 percent by weight.  
     
     
         25 . A method of using a container to store a concentrated liquid or solid, and to prepare and store a reconstituted product made therefrom, comprising: 
 filling a container made from a plastic composition material comprised of at least 30% by weight a mineral based material, with a concentrated liquid or solid through an opening in the container;    sealing the opening for storage and/or transportation;    unsealing the opening when desiring to reconstitute the product;    adding a diluting liquid to the container;    mixing the concentrated liquid or solid with the diluting liquid in the container to produce a reconstituted product, the container usable to store the reconstituted product.    
     
     
         26 . The method as in  claim 25 , wherein the plastic composition material comprising about 50 to 70 percent a mineral based material by weight and the mineral based material is calcium carbonate.  
     
     
         27 . The method as in  claim 25 , further comprising storing the concentrated liquid or solid in the sealed container for a period of time.  
     
     
         28 . The method as in  claim 25 , further comprising resealing the container after reconstituting the product.